Urinary stress incontinence is a pathology occurring most often after obstetric trauma. The ligaments supporting the bladder often become distended and the bladder is pushed downwardly and out of the pelvic cavity which normally supports it. The angle of the bladder at the level of the bladder neck is opened and—upon an effort such as sneezing—the urethra, which is no longer protected by the pelvic cavity, is subjected to the totality of the pressure generated by the stress and an incontinence phenomenon occurs.
This phenomenon has been well known and various solutions have been attempted. WO 00/15140 discloses an intra-urethral prosthesis. EP-A-498912 discloses a sub-urethral prosthesis designed to be implanted for a limited period of time at the level of the vagina. FR-A-2787990 discloses a prosthesis constituted of two right and left hemi-prostheses, each hemi-prosthesis comprising a net attached to the vaginal wall on which is anchored a thread the other end of which is attached to the base of the rectus muscle of the abdomen. The net is a sub-urethral element on which the bladder neck rests.
The prostheses of the prior art represent a certain number of risks for the patient, notably the risk of tearing of the bladder or damage caused to the bladder neck or the urethra when the prosthesis is installed. Sub-urethral materials also have drawbacks in use by preventing or restricting miction.